What are appraisals at work?

Appraisals at work are fundamentally performance review meetings that can be conducted weekly, monthly, or annually. A staff appraisal is often a great way to check-in with your employees 1-to-1 to identify what they are doing well, and to also identify potential areas of improvement or development too. When it comes to staff appraisals at work, we recommend arranging a 1-to-1 at least once every few months.

If you need any professional advice regarding staff appraisals or want to find out more about our HR 360 or Business Partner package, please get in touch with us today via www.norihr.co.uk 

Staff Appraisals – What’s Included?

• There are fundamentals that should be included when undertaking staff appraisals. Appraisals should be professional but also relaxed so that the employee feels comfortable and at ease throughout the meeting.
  Ideally, ahead of the meeting, you should give the employee an opportunity to submit written feedback about how they feel their experience within the organisation is progressing and how they feel they have performed in various areas of the business. The best way to gather this information before the appraisal is usually in the form of a questionnaire.
• Within the appraisal itself, you should then proceed to reviewing the written feedback submitted by your employee. You should also express your thoughts from your own perspective about how you think it has gone so far, and identify any clear areas of weaknesses. To complete the appraisal, you should agree expectations and objectives for the following period.

Appraisals At Work – Benefits

• Conducting appraisals as a business owner or manager is highly recommended for a multitude of reasons and benefits. The most obvious benefit of conducting appraisals quarterly or annually is the fact that you’ll learn much more about the areas of your business that could be improved.
  This is because you’re hearing actual insights from employees that are working in all areas of the business so you can expect the feedback to be highly valuable and insightful which can, as a result, help you to steer which way you want your business to go in the future.
• Moreover, you’ll also be helping to increase job satisfaction and motivation amongst employees as appraisals provide a more personable approach to personal development. Further benefits of conducting appraisals at work include improved planning for employee development, improving performance, improving profitability, and identifying the best candidates for promotion.

Are Appraisals A Legal Requirement?

• There is no law in place that states that appraisals at work need to be undertaken. However, if you are undertaking appraisals, you must not discriminate and offer appraisals to all employees. Discriminating against certain employees based on disability, part-time employees, employees on maternity leave, or new starters is failing to comply with the Equality Act. Furthermore, all appraisals should be conducted in the same format for all employees with no special treatment.

Preparation For An Appraisal

• There are certain things that you should do before an appraisal with an employee to ensure you are properly prepared to get the most out of the meeting. As a manager, make sure that you have a clear purpose for the meeting and objectives that you wish to be fulfilled. 
• Make notes in advance of the main questions that you wish to ask and state evidence of where the employee has made progress and mention key achievements. Also, don’t forget that you are on the same page with a shared vision to improve your working relationship that will ultimately benefit both parties and the business moving forwards. Make sure you plan and structure the meeting from the beginning. 

How Can NORi HR and Employment Law Help?

• Here at NORi HR and Employment Law, we offer a dedicated packages that deliver a complete package of 24/7 HR advice which will include helping you to conduct employee appraisals, structuring the meetings, and outlining clear objectives to be fulfilled. NORI HR is a 5-star HR company who are committed to deliver high-quality services, professional advice, and on-going support for businesses of all types.

Ready to Get Started?
Contact Martin Brelsford today:

Email: [email protected]